Boniface faces big Liverpool test as Alonso returns to Anfield

Victor Boniface is in imperial form. The Bayer Leverkusen’s last season’s top scorer has already scored six goals in the 2024/25 for Leverkusen, who are struggling to meet the highs of last term where they went through the Bundesliga and cup unbeaten.

Bayer Leverkusen, who won their first German title last season, are currently in a distant third position behind runaway leaders, Bayern Munich, but they have been good in the UEFA Champions League.

However, they are billed to meet a tough task at Liverpool, who have found a new lease of life under Arne Slot. While Leverkusen’s recent domestic form has been relatively underwhelming as they have recorded two consecutive draws away to Werder Bremen, and at home to VfB Stuttgart, their European results are solid. They are unbeaten after three games, having taken seven points from an available nine and sit in sixth place in the 32-team league table.

However, they’ll be hoping to improve on their most recent outing, a 1-1 draw away at Brest. For this clash, Alonso will be glad to be able to select a team from a near complete pool of available players, with Boniface expected to lead the line once again after missing the Brest encounter.

Amine Adli will miss out, Jeanuël Belocian, and Nordi Mukiele are all set to miss out. Martin Terrier should return after sitting out the Stuttgart game. Alongside Boniface, the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jonas Hofmann will be hoping to cause the Reds’ back line plenty of problems.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are one of the in-form teams in Europe. Slot’s side are one of only two teams in Europe’s premier club competition to have won every one of their games in the tournament so far (alongside Aston Villa), most recently a 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig. Domestically, too, they are fine fettle as they sit at the top of the Premier League with just one defeat this season across all competitions.

They may be without Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and ex-Leipzig centre-back, Ibrahima Konaté for this fixture, but are still stacked with talent all across the pitch with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cody Gakpo all at Slot’s disposal.

Bundesliga alumni Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endō, and Ryan Gravenberch could all also feature. Leverkusen’s only defeat in their last 17 European fixtures was last season’s UEFA Europa League final against Atalanta. They have won 11 and drawn the other five. No team has more wins (11) or scored more goals (37) in European competition since the start of 2023/24 than Die Werkself.

Leverkusen coach, Alonso, made 210 competitive appearances for Liverpool as a player between 2004 and 2009. One of his 18 goals on Merseyside came in the famous Miracle of Istanbul to beat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.

Liverpool’s only defeat in their last 21 European meetings with German opposition came against Leverkusen, who won 4-2 in the 2001/02 quarter-final second leg to advance en route to the final.